From 7:20 to 2:05, some students don’t have anything to eat, struggling to find time to snack with classes and lunch club meetings.  However, maintaining our necessary nutrients is very important for alertness and concentration.

We all have those days when we wake up at 7:00 and don’t have enough time to eat breakfast before heading off to school.  However, breakfast IS the most important meal of the day.  Therefore, a simple solution is for students to bring their breakfast to class.

Similarly, students need a brain break between the first two and the last two periods of the day.  Yet club meetings occupy much of some students’ lunch times, thus resulting in skipping a vital meal.  Especially for those involved in afternoon sports and activities, it is extremely important in order to maintain the necessary nutrients to power through the busy day.

Eng Mahawattanangul, a grade 12 student, explains that “[he] find[s] that, [eating snacks in class] can help students ultimately be more engaged with their learning”.  However, students sometimes abuse this privilege by bringing inappropriate snacks, such as candy, and leaving crumbs on their desk, which is disrespectful to both the teacher and the students who sit there next.

The High School Principal, Mr. Bradley, adds that “at 85 minutes, our lessons have to be broken into smaller chunks. Every lesson should allow for at least one opportunity [for students to take a break and stretch].”  He continues, saying that “similarly the brain needs the right fuel to operate efficiently and [therefore,] appropriate snacks are a good idea.

Although snacks can sometimes be distracting, if students are responsible with their food in class, teachers will be more lenient to permit students to do so.

Ellen Sypolt